1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to fishing rod holders and more particularly pertains to an adjustable ground-inserted fishing rod holder for supporting a fishing rod at a desired angle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of fishing rod holders is known in the prior art. More specifically, fishing rod holders heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of supporting fishing equipment are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
For example, a fishing rod holder extension is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,876,980 in which a generally Z-shaped tubular member is provided including a pair of laterally and longitudinally offset parallel legs interconnected by an angulated arm extending between an interconnecting adjacent ends of the legs. One of the legs is downwardly receivable in an upwardly opening, inclined fishing rod holder on a boat gunnel and the handle end of a fishing rod is removably and downwardly receivable in the other leg.
A pistol grip fishing pole stand is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,016,384 which includes a frame means that is designed to be inserted into the ground to provide support for the pistol grip fishing pole stand. The stand also includes a receptacle therewith which is adapted to receive and engage a pistol grip shaped handle of a fishing pole. The device is custom designed to accept fishing poles having the pistol grip style of handle.
Another patent of interest is U.S. Pat. No. 4,972,621 which describes a fishing rod support for supporting a fishing rod in an inclined upright position suitable for attracting and catching fish. The support includes a balancing post that can assume an operating position contacting the ground surface or, alternatively, a storage position extending along the under surface of the fishing rod.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose an adjustable fishing rod holder for supporting a fishing rod at a desired angle which includes a stake that may be inserted into a ground surface and a pair of supports coupled to the stake operable to accommodate fishing rods of various lengths. Furthermore none of the known prior art fishing rod holders include measurement indicia for measuring a length of a fish or an oscillator assembly for selectively oscillating an associated fishing pole.
In these respects, the adjustable ground-inserted fishing rod holder according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of supporting a fishing rod at a desired angle and providing a convenient means for measuring captured fish.